The best action camera for 2020: GoPro, DJI and more compared

GoPro isn’t the only game in town when it comes to high-quality action cameras that live up to the hype, and the name comes at a financial premium. Companies like Yi and DJI offer other options that are worth exploring that are cheaper than GoPro’s top-of-the-line Hero 8 Black, but can still compete.

And sure, those options could include your waterproof and crack-resistant smartphone, but keep in mind that the best action camera is designed for this kind of shooting. Plus, just because your phone is tougher, it doesn’t mean you should risk losing or damaging it to shoot video since it’s the thing that keeps you connected to work, family and friends. It’s also way easier to mount one of these to your body, car, bike or anything else than your smartphone — even if that phone does have a special case and a gorilla glass screen.

With that in mind, here are our top picks for best action camera that we’ve tested. All of these devices have a wide range of use and can shoot video, snap photos and capture audio. See which one is the best action camera to fit your needs for battery life, video quality and durability. If you’ve had good results from a camera not mentioned here, please share it in the comments.

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Though the Hero 8 Black camera has all the latest and greatest features, in the end it’s not a huge leap forward from what you’ll get with the less expensive Hero 7 Black. It’s a 2018 model and has almost all the same features, including high quality HyperSmooth image stabilization, the killer feature for this model. There are a handful of other differences like a better user interface, more shooting options to give you more control such as 1080p at 240 frames per second, vertical video and livestreaming straight from the camera — all at a pretty great resolution. That said, the differences between the Hero 7 Black and discontinued Hero 6 Black aren’t that great either, so you might want to keep an eye out for deals on that.

This is the best single-lens action camera you can get from GoPro at the moment in features and performance. Compared with the Hero 7 Black, there are a lot of feature tweaks and updates that make it just generally easier to use and a better camera for both photos and videos, regardless of what or where you’re shooting. But for those who use a GoPro regularly, things like the redesigned waterproof housing that allows you to attach the camera directly to GoPro mounts, a customizable interface with shooting presets and improved video stabilization all add up to a worthwhile update in terms of image quality. The lens is now made with Gorilla Glass that’s twice as impact-resistant as the glass on past Hero models.

For a company known for its camera drones, DJI got a lot right with its first action cam. One of its stand-out features is its front color screen. It might be small, but it’s enough to make sure you’re centered in the shot when the camera lens is facing you on a selfie stick. Another great feature of the camera is that it responds to voice commands — the view can be switched with a voice control. It’s also waterproof and rugged with removable lens covers, it has great electronic image stabilization, shoots HDR video and has customizable presets so you get to control the shooting modes you want without diving into menus. This is an excellent device for people who are looking for better control when shooting photos and videos.

Nearly as good as the GoPro Hero 7 Black in features and video quality, but it’s just $220 with a waterproof dive housing included. Its electronic image stabilization isn’t quite as good as GoPro’s HyperSmooth, but it’s definitely better than nothing. You also get shooting options like 4K video at 60 fps (with image stabilization at 30 fps), slow-motion video at 1080p at 120 fps or 720p at 240 fps, time-lapse photos and videos, live streaming and raw photo capture and a 90-minute battery life. You don’t get anything more than the camera, a battery, the housing and charging and external mic cables, but if your main concern is getting good photos and recording video footage for less than a GoPro, this camera is a safe bet.

This is a solid pick for those who just want an inexpensive action camera for casual or occasional use. You do get a lot for your $140, both in camera and accessories. The V50 Elite captures fine-looking 4K video at 30 fps with better electronic image stabilization during video recording than you might expect at this price.

You get many of the same shooting modes you’d find on a GoPro device, such as time-lapse photos and videos and slow motion footage at 1080p at 240 fps, and there’s even a Drive mode so you can use it as a dash cam when plugged into your car, automatically turning on when you start your car and off when you stop it. It’s not waterproof on its own, but a dive housing is included as well as several mounts, two batteries (with a battery life of 90 minutes) and a charger that simultaneously powers up both packs (extra batteries are always welcome). It also has built-in Wi-Fi so you can connect to a smartphone and use an app to control the camera and transfer your shots for sharing.